Valve guide



` Jan. 1o, 192s.

W. D. DAVENPORT VALVE GUIDE Filed May 27. 1927 a* f/WM Patented dan. lt), M923.

testent UNITED STATES PATET trier..

warmen n. nnvnivronr, or Kanarien, rennes.

VALVE Application filed. May 27,

rlhs invention relates gene ally to valve guides, and has more particular reference to an improved device especially adapted tor use in properly guiding the flush or outlet valve of a Water closet tanlr to its seat.`

llt is Well known that `Water closet tanks now in extensive use are not entirely satisfactory in operation, due to the tact that the outlet valve is allowed, undue freedom of lateral movement and is not positively guided properly to its seat. In fact, the outlet valve is etten laterally displaced to such an excessive extent as to become caught over the ioat arn'l o12 the valve vvhich controls the supply ci water to the tanlr. ln either case, an objectionable continued supply ol Water to and discharge thereof trom the tank results, and it becomes necessary to gain access to the in terior oil the tank for properly restoring the outlet valve to its seat, so that thewater will be brought to the necessary level in the tank lor tlushing purposes and then tlovv thereof entirely stopped until the outlet valve is again intentionally unseated.

llt is accordingly the primary object of the present invention to provide a thoroughly reliable and practical means 'tor limiting the lreedom ol' lateral movement of the outlet valve oit a water closet tank and guiding it properly to its seat, whereby the objections reterred to are ellectively overcome.

A more specilic object is to provide a device, for overcoming the objections noted above, which may be constructed and readily placed in use in existing tanks at a nominal cost.

1li further object is to provide a guide oi' the above lrind adapted to replace the usual guie'le bracket tor the stern ol? the Water closet outlet valve, and requiring no attachment to or modilication ot the outlet valve.

Other objects Will become apparent as the nature ot the invention is better understood, and the same consists in the novel torno, combination and arrangement ot' parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying d aiving and claimed.

lu the drawing, wherein like reference charactersindicate corresponding parts throughout the several views;

Figure 1 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in elevation, of a Water closet tanlr having an outlet valveequipped With a guide constructed in accordance with the present invention.

lFigln-e 2 is an enlarged `tragn'ientary hori- GUIIDE.

192V. Serial No. 194,712.

5 indicates a conventional form ot Water closettank provided with a cover 6 and having the usual ,wa-ter supply pipe 7 equipped with a valve d closed by the rising ot a float J through operating connections including a float arm 10. Connected with the bottom wall or' the tank is an outlet pipe 11 which is provided on its upper end and within the bottom of the tanlr with the usual fitting einbodying a seat member 12 tor the outlet or tlusli valve 13 and a lateral branch let leading from beneath said seat and having an upright overflow pipe 15 rising therefrom to a point above the high water level of the tanlr and arranged beside the float arm lll The outlet valve 15:5 has the lower end ot' the usual stem 1G detachably secured thereto, and the usual `manually operable means is provided to unseat the valve 13, which lne-ans includes a. link 17 loosely and slidably connected at its lower end to the valve stem lo.l lt is the usual practice to clamp a horizontal bracket arm on the over-tloiv pipe 15 and to have the stem 16 loosely'lit and slide in a vertical opening in the outer free end of this arm. Such usual construction, 1vvhile having a certain guiding ellect on the outlet valve, allows the latter such excessive vfreedom ot lateral play or moveniient that the above men tioned objectionable occurrences are experienced.

ln accordancewith the present invention, a plurality ol lvertical guide rods 18 are mounted about and adjacent the valve 13 and these rods 18 entend from the upper limit oi' movement of valve 13 to the seat 12 so as to ellectively limit such lateral movement ot the valve and el'lectively guide it to the seat.

For this purpose, three rods 18 are prefer` ably employed at equally spaced points, one opposite the overflow pipe 15, and the other two in opposedrelation between the said one rod and the overflow pipe, as shown in Figure 2. In this Way, the rods 18 and the overtlovv pipe torni an edect-ive guiding cage for and throughout the 'full path ot movement ot the outlet valve.

The rods 18 are preferably" carried by and mounted to depend trom the outer tree ends ot' horizonal extensions or fingers 19 radiattill ing from and formed integral with the outer end of a horizontal bracket arm 2() clamped upon the overflow pipe 15. The inner end of the bracket arm 2O has a suitable clamp 21 for engagement with the overflow piperso that the bracket may be adjusted to and secured at the proper height, and the outer end of said bracket arm 20, at the juncture Vof the fingersv 19therevvith is formed with a vertical opening 22 in which the stem 16 is loosely engaged and free to slide. rlhe 4outer free ends ot' the fingers 19 are preferably Iformed with vertical openings 23 into which the rods 18 may be inserted from above, the upper ends of said rodsv being 4suitablyenlarged or headed, as at v gagement with the ngers so as to be loosely suspended from they latter and engaged at "their lower ends with the peripheral edge .20,

for enyof the seat 12. So constructed, the device may be cheaply manufactured, readily assembled or taken apart, andc'ompactly arrangedforshipment when taken apart.

. The only changes over existing equipment consist inproviding a bracket arm of ordinaryfform with the radiating apertured fingers, and furnishing the three inexpensive eaded guide rods for association with said fingers.

In use, the bracket of the device is clamped Aupon the overflow pipe in the same manner as now practiced with the usual bracket arms, the ,sternl 16 being lowered into association with link 17'V and through the opening n 22 for connection with valve 13. The rods 1'8fa'r'e then droppedinto the openings 23, and tliedevice is ready to function.

` In View of the above, the construction, operation and advantages of the invention ,Will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art, and minor Vchanges may be made without departing vfrom the vce spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

.lNhat I claimasnevv is Y V1. A valve guide comprising a horizontal bracketarm having a-vertical valve stem guide opening in onerend, horizontal fingers lradiating from said end of the bracket arm,

and guide rods depending from the outer Vends of the fingers.

` 22A valveguide comprising a horizontal bracket Varm having a vertical valve stem guide openingvin one end, horizontal lingers radiating vfrom said end of the bracket arm, and guide rods loosely suspended from "the outer yends, of the fingers.

j 3. A valve guide comprising a horizontal `bracket arm having a vertical valve stem guide opening in one end, horizontal fingers radiating fromsaid end of the bracket arm, and depending guide rods removably carried by the'outer ends of the ingers.

4. `'The combination with the freely sus- .pended "outlet valve and the upright adjacent overiiow pipe of a Water closet tank,

of a plurality of spaced vertical guide rods disposed adjacent and about said valve to cooperate with the overllow pipe and toi-n1 a guiding cage for said valve.

5. The combination with the freely susla plurality of spaced vertical guide rods disposed adjacent and about said valve to cooperate with the overflow pipe and torni guiding cage for said valve, and a bracket .z-

elamped upon said overflow pipe from which said guide rods depend, said bracket having a. vertical guide opening for the stein of said outlet valve.

7. The combination with the freely suspended outlet valve and the upright adjacent overiow pipe of a water closet tank, of a plurality of spaced vertical guide rods disposed adjacent and about said valve to cooperate with the overflow pipe and forni a guiding cage for said valve, one of said guide rods being disposed opposite the overflow pipe, and the remaining guide rods being disposed in opposed relation at uniformly spaced points from and between .said one guide rod and the overl'low pipe.

8. The combination with the freely suspended out-let valve and the upright adjacent overflow pipe of a water closet tank, of a plurality of spaced vertical guide rods disposed adjacent and about said valve to cooperate with the overflow pipe and forni a guiding cage for said valve, and a bracket clamped upon said overflow pipe from which said guide rods depend, said guide rods being freely suspended from said bracket.

9. The combination with the freely .suspended outlet valve and the upright adjacent overllow pipe of a water closet. tank, oll

la plurality of spaced vertical guide rods disprising a bracket arm having means at one end to clamp the same upon the overflow pipe, fingers radiating from the other end of said bracket arm, and guide rods depending from the outer ends of said fingers.

lila

llf)

il. A guide for the outlet Valve of a We ter closet tank having an overow pipe comptsng a, bracket arm having means at one end to clamp the same upon the overt-10W pipe, hngers radiating hom the othe end oit said bracket atm, and guide rods depending; hrom the outer ence of said ngels, said tngere having Vertical openings in their outer ends through which the 2guide ods lemovably project, and suspension heads on the uppe' ends ot seid guide rods resting on the ingere.

l2. A guide for the outlet valve of a Ww tel` closet tank having an overflow pipe comprising :t bracket mn having means at one end to clamp the same upon the overfow pipe, fingere radiating from the other end of said hmcket arm, end guide rods depending from the out-er ends of Said fingers, Said hngers having Vertical openings in their outer ends through which the guide lods removably project, and suspension heads on the upper ends of said guide rods testing on the tngels, seid bracket 2mn having L vertical guide opening for the stem of said outlet valve at the juncture of said ngers therewith.

In testimony whereof I afhx my signature.

- WALTER' D. DAVENPURT. 

